Lamentation of Lolth - Chapter X

[Velmont]

As the group exits Morn's meeting room, Sielwoodan follow them. As he pass by Ayden, he draw the warhammer that hang at his belt. He hands the weapon at the priest, the old warhammer that have been him two years earlier, the last time Sielwoodan had seen the priest, in the lair of a death hag.

 

[Ayden]

As the others began to stand to leave the room, Ayden waited until Lord Morn had departed before standing. He assumed the others would be wishing to gather quickly and make their way to the Dordrien Crypts, and while he had tentatively called upon Finder when the dawn broke, he had not asked his Uncle for any divine gifts since his release and wondered if when the time came, would his request be granted.

Lost in his thoughts, Ayden did not initially see Sielwoodan pull the gem encrusted hammer from the simple belt he wore, but as the ranger extended it towards him, Ayden felt shame color his face and he lowered his eyes towards the floor.

~What have I done to deserve such blind trust? She is still laughing at what she has done to me.~

“I am not worthy of this gift Sielwoodan, but if the darkness approaches as Lord Morn fears it does, I would be a fool to reject it.”

Taking the hammer, Ayden’s hand searched for the familiar grooves on the wrapping, but the new leather that rested on the haft was foreign to his touch. Looking to the archer, Ayden’s raspy voice was heavy with doubt.

“Tell them I will meet them in an hour. I have to speak with someone, and I am not sure he will listen to what I have to say.”

[sblock=OOC]Have to get spells prepared and don't have any books with me, so I will work up another flavor post while at the office and then attach the spells once I get home.[/sblock]

 

[Velmont]

Sielwoodan nods as Ayden tells him he will catch up in an hour and leaves the priest alone, but as he is about to exits the room, he stops and turns around to tell. "Don't forget, you are not forced to take the path that is drawn in front of you, nor to travel alone." Sielwoodan exits and see the remaining of the group walking out of the building. He follows them but as he sees the sun shining on him, he decides to go to teh stable. Travelling in teh underdark will not be an pleasant ride for Felmir. It would be favorable for him to stay here and wait for him, he won't like the idea, better to make sure he understand before he leaves.

 

[hippocrachus]

Calenthang left with the others, sticking close to Laurent since Sielwoodan decided to hang back with Ayden. He is usually so perceptive... he thought of his ranger kin.
When the priest did not exit the building to join the others, Calenthang grew agitated. He's holding us up!
Sielwoodan headed off in a different direction and that left the dark hunter looking to Laurent for orders. "Should we head out, orator Laurent? My blade is anxious to draw drow blood."

 

[Ayden]

~Realm of Shadows~

He could no longer hear the music. He knew Finder’s presence could not exist everywhere, but he had felt that as long as he could hold onto the music, Finder would be able to see and hear him. As he traversed the lands, although they all looked the same to him, he would hum or sing to give himself courage, but slowly the music faded and the shadows seemed to grow deeper around him. Then the attacks began and as his ability to call upon Finder decreased, so did his belief that any moment his friends would magically appear to rescue him from Broddy’s accidental, or was it really an accident, banishment to her land.

She had started whispering to him when the music began to fade, telling him that she understood his anguish, frustration, and sorrow. She could make the attacks stop, make the dark wounds he had suffered close, teach him a different song to fill the void his exile had created. All he had to do was call out to her, reach out to her for strength; give his soul to her.

He resisted the call for almost three years; fighting every day as if it was the last he would ever see, but the attacks, both physically and mentally, took their toll on him and when he reached his breaking point, he screamed one name into the darkness.

“Shar…”


~Now~

Sitting in the simple room, Ayden felt the slight breeze coming in through his window, the heat of the sun shining on him, and tried to find the connection with Finder that once came as naturally as breathing.

~He came to save you after you renounced Shar, gave you the strength to dispel the shadows which were sent to kill you, guided you to the Hall of the Harpers…~

“Now the rest is up to me…”

Ayden did not know what had happened to the finely crafted violin he had once carried, nor did he think he was ready for it if the others managed to carry it all these years. Instead, he took a long drink of water and forced a weak whistle through his cracked lips. It was a weak and flat note, but Ayden held it for as long as he could and when the sound died, he immediately created another and another, until one pure note was created. Ayden tried to keep the note sustained, forced air out of his lungs until he saw spots forming on the edges of his vision, and then it was gone.

~But the music is still there…~

With that thought giving him strength, Ayden closed his eyes and looked towards the sun, knowing it might be the last time he would feel its warmth upon his face.

~Finder…Uncle…the days will be long and my strength will be tested, but they will need your strength more than they will need mine. You have given me a chance to reclaim my life, but I do not know if I have it within me to do so. Do not hold my weakness against them, be with them as you once were and I will do what I must.~

As he finished his prayers, Ayden felt words of power slowly forming in his mind as Finder’s grace filled him. Some of the blessings were familiar to him, but others Ayden wondered if he would have the strength to properly cast.

~As always, he knows more than he is telling…~

 

[kirinke]

Teleri packed, taking that which she felt she would need on the long trek in the underdark, feeling the darkness that would herald the rise of the moon nearing. For those who walked in the moon's light, the night was always a two-edged blessing. And soon, they would travel down in a place where neither the sun nor moon held sway. She prayed, not for spells, but for safe journey.

"Lady, hold my friends safe while we travel in the lands of the enemy and forgotten." She whispered and smiled grimly to herself.

Those who dwelt there and enjoyed the pain of others would feel the bite of sword, arrow and spell as they had during the raids of the week before. She straightened, making sure that all was appropriately secured.

"Ready to teach our dark friends some manners?" she asked the sword.

You would be the last person to teach anyone manners girl. StormArmour grumbled.

Teleri chuckled as they left to join the others. "And I had such a good teacher too...."

 

[Mimic]

Broddy listened intently to what Lord Morn had to say, all the while he could practically feel Calenthang's eyes burning into him. "Master, that one doesn't like you very much does he?" A soft voice speaks in his mind. "Calenthang? No, he does not, he blames me for what happened to Ayden and perhaps in a way I am." He responds back before cutting off the communication, he didn't need any other reminders of what happened to his friends and how he was responsible.

He followed the others outside and watched as they seperated to gather supplies, he could hear Calenthang complain to Laurent about the delay but there wasn't much they could do about it, rushing off to confront Drow in their home turf ill prepared was just asking to be killed.

He was ready to go, so he just had to wait.

 

[kirinke]

"Hi," she said to Broddy as she walked up to wait for the others. "I don't blame you for what happened before. It wasn't the fault of any of us really. We were dealing with forces way out of our league and we were bloody lucky nothing worse happened." she said with a small, sad smile. "Or if it was anyone's fault, we all share the guilt equally."

ooc:
If they're going into crypts, would Teleri or any of them think to bring weapons that deal damage to the undead? You know, stakes, holy water and the like?"

 

[Wilphe]

"Should we head out, orator Laurent? My blade is anxious to draw drow blood."

"I somewhat thought that would be the case, yes. I know you don't want to dwell on it but remember there was once a time when you were not always ready, day or night to follow Shevarash and strike against the drow. So it is with our companions." he pauses, If I may be so bold there at least two other considerations that do not matter to you that may matter to others. Firstly I do not think you are especially concerned whether the drow you kill are the ones responsible for these attacks so long as you get to kill some. In all honesty it doesn't matter to me much either, but it matters a lot to his Lordship who so kindly asked us here."

His face for once turns grim, "And to be honest I am not sure if you are that bothered whether you come back or not so long as you take plenty of drow with you when you go. Some of us however are bothered about that, and while nothing would please me more than to die at your side we should both live many more years and I would rather not to so just yet."

"If you excuse me I have one or two small pieces of business to transact before we go," Laurent heads into the nearest tavern, and buys two bottles of brandy to put in his haversack.*

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Before leaving Laurent will speak to Lord Morn.
"Your Lordship, I know we are high minded servants of good and all**, and champions of light etc, etc. But you have asked us here as a favour to solve a problem that you have. Now while I am not so crass or heartless as to demand monetary compensation or even magic for my efforts in this cause we would appreciate it if we could rely upon your lordship to stock us up with such sundry mundane supplies such as victuals, water, light sources, arrows and such forth so that we may leave without undue delay."

"To this end if you could also supply us with horses for the ride to these ruins and send along a couple of grooms to bring them back when we get there that would be much appreciated."

OOC:
* Bardic Knowledge Check on these Crypts please
If that doesn't turn up anything he'll make a quick Gather Information attempt in the Tavern.

** Well apart from Calenthang, and Laurent - and the less said about Ayden the better, but that's wat a Diplomacy Check is for...

 

[hippocrachus]

Calenthang cocked an eyebrow at the mention of Shevarash. He had not mentioned his latest conversion so his eyes wandered down to the sword at his hip. The holy symbol was plain as day to any who knew what to look for; the clever bard must have made the connection.
"You are wrong, orator Laurent. I do not intend to die." The statement was not meant to sound bold.
Calenthang followed Laurent, however self-righteous he seemed of a sudden.